Carton-sealing apparatus with rotation control

ABSTRACT

An improved means in a carton-sealing apparatus for actuating rotation of a turn box which turns a vertically received carton to a horizontal position by a 90* turn. An elongated switch of the actuating mechanism is contacted by a carton only after it has turned to the horizontal position, and a stop member checks the advance of a following carton in the vertical position in the turn box to prevent jamming.

United States Patent Inventor Tex Bates Union City, Calif.

Appl. No. 851,844

Filed Aug. 21, 1969 Patented May 25, 1971 Assignee The Finn Industries, Inc. Chicago, Ill.

CARTON-SEALING APPARATUS WITH [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,296,769 1/1967 Patton 53/76 3,442,063 5/1969 Martin 53/374 Primary Examiner-Travis S. McGehee Attorney-Dominik, Knechtel & Godula RoTTloN F Q ABSTRACT: An improved means in a carton-sealing ap- 7 Chums 6 Drawmg paratus for actuating rotation of a turn box which turns a verti- U.S. Cl 53/76, Cally r iv carton to a horizontal position by a 90 turn. An 53 /374 elongated switch of the actuating mechanism is contacted by a Int. Cl B65b57/00, carton y after it has turned to the horizontal position, and a 1365b 7/20 stop member checks the advance of a following carton in the Field of Search 53/76, 374 v rtical position in the turn box to prevent jamming.

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CARTON-SEALING APPARATUS WITH ROTATION CONTROL This invention relates to improved features useful in a carton-sealing apparatus of the type disclosed in copending U.S. Pat. application, Ser. No. 759,406, filed Sept. l2, I968, by Bayard l. Barnes, and assigned to the same assignee as herein.

The foregoing copending U.S. Pat. application discloses a method and apparatus for sealing closure flaps at opposite ends of the carton, each set of closure flaps at each end including a top and bottom fiap and a pair of side overlapping flaps. The set of closure flaps at one end of the carton are loosely closed, and the carton is positioned vertically, by which is meant that said loosely closed set of closure flaps are at the bottom when the carton is placed on a supporting surface. Contents are deposited within said carton and the set of closure flaps at the opposite top end are then loosely folded. Such cartons with deposited contents are then moved into the apparatus disclosed in such copending application for sealing said opposite ends. In one popular practice, such cartons are ice cream cartons which have previously been filled in ice cream filling machines.

The method and apparatus of the copending application teaches that a carton is delivered to rotating means in said apparatus in a vertically disposed position, or a position where the loosely folded closure flaps are at the top and bottom. The carton is then rotated 96 to a horizontally disposed position, or a position where the loosely closed flaps are at the opposite sides of the horizontallydisposed carton. The top and bottom flaps of the opposite sides are then plowed open as the carton advances along the path so that bonding material may be applied to the opposite ends of the carton. The carton with the plowed open flaps is bilaterally symmetrical in the preferred form, and such open flaps are then plowed into a closed position along the advancing path, and held in such position until the material has set. The copending application has shown how the rotating means are actuated at intervals as a following carton is moved to the rotating means. The method and apparatus of such copen'dhlg application discloses an actuating means including amicr'oswitch contacted by the vertically disposed carton in the rotating means to turn that carton to a horizontal position.

' It has been found that certain filling techniques may lead to dimensional changes in the cartons, as in ice cream cartons. When liquid contents are deposited in the cartons, a first dimension may characterize the carton. When the liquid contents are frozen, a second smaller dimension may characterize the carton. This change in dimension may result in substantial displacement of the carton within the rotating means, and such displacement accumulates with a long line of cartons being fed into the sealing apparatus. For example, a change in dimension of one-eighth inch per carton could possibly lead to a displacement of 1 inch with a line of eight cartons being directed to the entry of the sealing machine. Such a displacement may be'sufficiently substantial to cause undesirable displacement of the carton in the rotating means, and thereby lead to possible jamming when the means are rotated.

It is desirable to provide means which prevents undesired displacement of the carton in the rotating means, and it is further desirable to provide cooperative means which still permit desired actuation of the rotating means without incurring the occasional problems of jamming in some sealing operation.

It is therefore an objedt of the present invention to provide an apparatus for sealing cartons in which new means are provided for actuating the rotation of the carton to the horizontal position.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for sealing cartohs in which new and efficient actuation means are providedfwhile still limiting the movement of a.

carton in a vertical ptisition within the rotating means to thereby prevent'pofssibility of any jamming.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for sealing cartons in which cartons are controlled in their vertical displacement within rotating means to prevent possible jamming, and in which actuation of the rotating means is effected by movement of the carton after it has been turned to its horizontal position.

The foregoing objects are accomplished together with still other objects which will occur to practitioners from time to time by the invention of the following disclosure, including drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a carton-sealing machine which includes the new means to actuate rotation of the carton and to limit vertical travel of the carton;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the machine of FIG. 1, on an enlarged scale, partly in section and with certain elements indicated by dotted lines;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view along line 4-4 of FIG. 3, with parts removed and parts shown diagrammatically;

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view similar to the view of FIG. 4, but showing the carton rotated to substantially the horizontal position; and

FIG. 6 is a side sectional view along line 6-6 of FIG. 4, on an enlarged scale, and with parts removed.

The view of FIG. 1 indicates in phantom a pair of .vertically oriented cartons I5 and 16 being advanced along a conveyor 18. The top and bottom closure flaps are shown in loosely closed position after having received deposited contents, such as ice cream from Anderson ice cream filling machine. Such a carton has underlying side closure flaps, a top or minor closure flap 20 and a bottom or major closure flap 22. After passing through the sealing apparatus, indicated generally as 24, the cartons are discharged in substantially horizontal positions indicated at 15a and 16a.

The sealing apparatus 24 includes a lower power housing 26, a drive housing 28, and an upper sealing housing 30. The vertically oriented cartons move to a carton entry 32 shown as a receiving member with a rectangular passageway 34-which conforms to the configuration of the carton 15 or 16. The sealed cartons leave the apparatus through a carton discharge 35, best seen in FIG. 3. The carton discharge has a rectangular cross section conforming to the horizontally oriented or disposed carton. Also mounted on the apparatus 24 are a pair of bonding material applicators or glue pots 38 and 40. A drive housing 42 contains a drive for glue pot 38, and a like drive housing and drive is associated with glue pot 40.

FIG. 2 shows the apparatus provided with coasters 46 and adjustable screwjack 48 to selectively raise the height of the apparatus. The advancing path of the carton is indicated at 50, and it extends between carton entry 34 and carton discharge 35. The endless conveyor system, shown generally as 52, extends along the advancing carton path, and such illustrated system includes an upper pair of endless belts 54 and a lower pair of endless belts S6.

The conveyor and other elements of the apparatus are powered by a motor 62 which turns endless drive chain 64 to operate gear box 66. A rotating sprocket wheel 68 in the gear box turns chain 70 around sprockets 72, 74 of the upper and lower conveyors, respectively, and around lower sprocket 76. Gearbox 66 also rotates shaft 78 journaled with gearbox 80 to drive chain 84 and gear 86 through box 88. Gear 86 is controlled by a one-revolution clutch (not shown), and gear 86 meshes with ring gear 90 in gear housing 92. Carton entry member 32 is mounted to the ring gear housing 92 and front wall 96 of the housing by secured angles 97.

Referring first to FIGS. 4-6, driving gear 86 and idler gears 98, 100 may be viewed as mounting points for ring gear 90. Gear 90 is shown fastened to rotatable box or turn box 101, said box including a continuous wall 102 with a continuous flange 103 extending along a radial plane. The ring 90 is secured to the flange by bolts 104. The wall 102 encloses a rectangular passageway 114 which closely accommodates the passageways is that of a cruciform which allows a vertically disposed carton to, be received every time the ring gear is rotated 90. The cruciform passageway is shown with four guide blocks 117, each of which has an inwardly tapered land 118 aligned with the long axis of passageway l 14, and another I inwardly tapered land 119 aligned with the long axis of passageway 116. The tapered lands guide a vertically delivered carton into the apparatus for each of the rectangular passageways.

When a carton is introduced into one of the rectangular passageways, the gear ring 90 will be actuated to rotate 90 by a preceding carton which has actuated such rotation. The view of FIG. 4 shows a vertically oriented carton in passageway 114, and this carton is then rotated to the horizontal position as shown in the following FIG. 5. A following vertically disposed carton will move the carton that has been turned to the horizontal position into the advancing path 50 between the upper and lower conveyors. Such a horizontally advanced carton will then actuate rotation of the ring 90 by means to be described in greater detail. The carton shown in passageway 114 in FIGS. 4 and 5 is generally rectangular in shape with a top panel or lid 58 and a bottom panel at 59. A closure flap 58a depends from top panel 58, and an elongated tear strip 58b of the closure flap is bonded to the front panel 59a.

The horizontally turned carton is deposited on the conveyor system and moved along this path where the closure flaps are opened by plow means so that the top flap is substantially parallel to the bottom flap 22 at each end. In this position, the carton is bilaterally symmetrical. Hot melt material is then applied to the undersides of the flaps or to the overlapping side closure flaps along the advancing path. The top and bottom flaps are thereafter plowed to close the position, and held in such closed position until the bonding material has set. The sealed carton is discharged in the horizontal position from the discharge end 35 of the sealing apparatus. The details of the means to plow the closure flaps open and closed, as well as the means to deposit bonding material and to hold the flaps in closed position, are disclosed in the previously identified copending application, but since such features do not comprise a necessary part of the present invention they will not be further described nor shown.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3 there will be described the means to actuate the ring gear 90 through contact with the horizontally disposed carton while a vertically disposed carton is retained against displacement in a rectangular passageway of the ring gear. The housing 96 may be viewed as including frame portions or members, including top transverse frame member 120. Mounted to the top transverse member is a switch-actuating mechanism 122 shown with electric line 124. The switch-actuating mechanism is mounted to the top transverse frame member 120 by means of angle bracket 126 and fastener bolt 128. When mechanism 122 is actuated, the onerevolution clutch in box 88 turns drive gear 86 one revolution to rotate ring gear 90 substantially 90, thereby turning a vertically disposed carton in the ring gear to a substantially horizontal position.

Switch mechanism 122 is actuated by a movement of a microswitch shown generally as 130. The switch includes an elongated switch element 132 which has a free end positioned to intercept a horizontally disposed carton in its advancing path, and an opposite end joined to pivotable block 134 which turns mechanism 122 to on and off positions. The elongated element is shown extending obliquely downward towards the plane of the conveyor path. The elongated element lies in a plane which intersects the cruciform passageway in the ring gear 90. The elongated switch element is normally biased towards the cruciform passageway, and in this position the pivotable block is in the off position. The biasing means are not shown, but are preferably positioned between block 134 and mechanism 122. When the switch is moved away from the cruciform passageway, then the pivotable block moves to the on position and the ring box 90 rotates. In this embodiment, it is seen that the elongated switch element 132 contacts shaft 136 of the upper conveyor system 54 in the biased or off position.

A stop member or plate 138 is shown mounted to the top transverse frame member 120. The top of the frame member is fastened to the transverse frame member by means such as welds, (not shown). The bottom free end of the stop member extends sufficiently to intercept or block a vertically disposed carton in the cruciform passageway, but extends insufficiently to intercept or block a horizontally disposed carton therein. The stop member 138, which is substantially planar, will therefore stop displacement of a vertically disposed carton at a fixed point along the advancing path, regardless of any dimensional variations in the cartons which would otherwise tend to unduly project such a vertically disposed carton into the advancing path.

In operation, a run of cartons may pass through the sealing apparatus by preloading a horizontally disposed carton in the crucifon'n passageway. A following vertically disposed carton will be delivered into the passageway, thus pushing the preloaded horizontally disposed carton into the advancing path of the conveyor system and against elongated switch element 132. The vertically disposed carton will be stopped by plate 138 at a fixed point and held within a cruciform passageway, but said vertically disposed carton will be turned as the ring box is rotated following contact of the horizontally disposed carton with the switch element 132. Cartons will thereafter be moved through the sealing apparatus as vertically disposed cartons are delivered into the passageway, thus moving a horizontally disposed carton which has been previously rotated. Such horizontally disposed carton, in turn, en-

gages the switch element to again actuate the rotating gear.

Such rotation and advancement of cartons along the conveyor path may be continued so long as vertically disposed cartons are introduced by means such as conveyor 18 to the turn box.

What 1 claim is:

1. in an apparatus for receiving and sealing closure flaps at opposite ends of cartons wherein a conveyor advances a carton along a path to means which, in turn, rotate the carton substantially 90 to a horizontal position, open the closure flaps at the opposite ends, apply bonding material to the opposite ends of the carton, close the flaps, hold the flaps to allow the bonding material to set, and discharge the sealed carton, the improvement which comprises a switch mounted on the apparatus, said switch actuating the means to rotate the carton 90 when contacted by a carton advancing along a conveyor path, said switch having a carton-contacting portion positioned in the path of the advancing horizontally turned carton, and said carton-contacting portion of the switch being further positioned to make contact with the horizontal profile of the turned carton when said turned carton is advanced free of the means which rotated said carton.

2. in an apparatus which includes the improved features of claim 1 above, wherein said switch includes an elongated switch element, the carton contacting portion thereof being a free end, and the opposite end being joined to an actuating mechanism, whereupon engagement of the free end with the horizontal carton displaces the switching element and the end joined to the actuating mechanism to thereby induce rotation of said means.

3. In an apparatus which comprises the improvements of the features in claim 2 above, wherein the free end of said switching element is biased towards and positioned adjacent said rotating means so that the horizontally turned carton engages said free end substantially at the time said carton moves free of said rotating means.

4. An apparatus which comprises the improvements of the features in claim 1 above, wherein said apparatus includes frat ne portions,

said actuating mechanism being mounted on a top frame portion over the means to rotate said cartons, said switch including an elongated switch element joined at one end to the actuating mechanism and extending obliquely downward towards the plane of the conveyor path, said elongated switch element terminating in a free end located to intercept the horizontally turned carton which advances along said path, and said elongated switch element being biased towards said means to rotate said carton.

5. In an apparatus which includes the improved features of claim 1 above, wherein said apparatus includes supporting frame portions,

a top frame portion,

a stop member mounted to said top frame portion, said stop member depending into a path followed by a vertically positioned carton, and

said stop member preventing movement of a vertically positioned carton within said rotating means, said vertically positioned carton advancing only after the rotating means turn said carton to a horizontal position, whereby the lower profile of the carton moves blow said stop member in its advancing path.

6. In an apparatus which includes the improved features of claim 5 above, wherein said stop member is positioned sufficiently close to said rotating means so that said stop member prevents advance of a vertically positioned carton to an area in which said stopped carton would be jammed upon rotation of said means in turning said carton to a horizontal position.

7. In an apparatus which includes the improved features of claim 6 above, wherein said means to rotate the carton includes a ring gear with idler gears and a driving gear providing mounting points for said ring gear, a carton-receiving passageway in said ring gear, said carton-receiving passageway being generally cruciform to accommodate a vertically oriented carton following each rotation of said ring gear,

a transverse top frame portion positioned substantially above said ring gear, said actuating-mechanism mounted on top of said transverse frame portion over said cruciform passageway in said ring gear, said switching element extending obliquely downward in a plane which intersects said cruciform passageway, and

said stop member being substantially planar, one end whereof is mounted to said top transverse frame portion and the opposite end terminating in blocking relation to a vertically disposed portion of said cruciform passageway to thereby hold a vertically positioned carton within said cruciform passageway, but allowing a horizontally turned carton within said cruciform passageway to advance along said path. 

1. In an apparatus for receiving and sealing closure flaps at opposite ends of cartons wherein a conveyor advances a carton along a path to means which, in turn, rotate the carton substantially 90* to a horizontal position, open the closure flaps at the opposite ends, apply bonding material to the opposite ends of the carton, close the flaps, hold the flaps to allow the bonding material to set, and disCharge the sealed carton, the improvement which comprises a switch mounted on the apparatus, said switch actuating the means to rotate the carton 90* when contacted by a carton advancing along a conveyor path, said switch having a cartoncontacting portion positioned in the path of the advancing horizontally turned carton, and said carton-contacting portion of the switch being further positioned to make contact with the horizontal profile of the turned carton when said turned carton is advanced free of the means which rotated said carton.
 2. In an apparatus which includes the improved features of claim 1 above, wherein said switch includes an elongated switch element, the carton contacting portion thereof being a free end, and the opposite end being joined to an actuating mechanism, whereupon engagement of the free end with the horizontal carton displaces the switching element and the end joined to the actuating mechanism to thereby induce rotation of said means.
 3. In an apparatus which comprises the improvements of the features in claim 2 above, wherein the free end of said switching element is biased towards and positioned adjacent said rotating means so that the horizontally turned carton engages said free end substantially at the time said carton moves free of said rotating means.
 4. An apparatus which comprises the improvements of the features in claim 1 above, wherein said apparatus includes frame portions, said actuating mechanism being mounted on a top frame portion over the means to rotate said cartons, said switch including an elongated switch element joined at one end to the actuating mechanism and extending obliquely downward towards the plane of the conveyor path, said elongated switch element terminating in a free end located to intercept the horizontally turned carton which advances along said path, and said elongated switch element being biased towards said means to rotate said carton.
 5. In an apparatus which includes the improved features of claim 1 above, wherein said apparatus includes supporting frame portions, a top frame portion, a stop member mounted to said top frame portion, said stop member depending into a path followed by a vertically positioned carton, and said stop member preventing movement of a vertically positioned carton within said rotating means, said vertically positioned carton advancing only after the rotating means turn said carton to a horizontal position, whereby the lower profile of the carton moves blow said stop member in its advancing path.
 6. In an apparatus which includes the improved features of claim 5 above, wherein said stop member is positioned sufficiently close to said rotating means so that said stop member prevents advance of a vertically positioned carton to an area in which said stopped carton would be jammed upon rotation of said means in turning said carton to a horizontal position.
 7. In an apparatus which includes the improved features of claim 6 above, wherein said means to rotate the carton includes a ring gear with idler gears and a driving gear providing mounting points for said ring gear, a carton-receiving passageway in said ring gear, said carton-receiving passageway being generally cruciform to accommodate a vertically oriented carton following each 90* rotation of said ring gear, a transverse top frame portion positioned substantially above said ring gear, said actuating-mechanism mounted on top of said transverse frame portion over said cruciform passageway in said ring gear, said switching element extending obliquely downward in a plane which intersects said cruciform passageway, and said stop member being substantially planar, one end whereof is mounted to said top transverse frame portion and the opposite end terminating in blocking relation to a vertically disposed portion of said cruciform passageway to thereby hold a vertically positioned carton within said cruciform passageway, but allowing a horizontally turned carTon within said cruciform passageway to advance along said path. 